As the state reopens, ALLSTAR Chauffeured Services is expanding their fleet and creating job opportunities. The Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator are two of ALLSTAR’s newest luxury vehicles. Visit www.allstarvip.com or call 248-549-8800 for more information.
Michigan Philharmonic’s stunning “Summer Celebration” to fill the air with music at Kensington Metropark
Nan Washburn leads the Michigan Philharmonic at Kensington Metropark. They will be performing an outdoor live performance on July 10. The free “Summer Celebration,” with a lovely litany of patriotic music, movie themes and Broadway show tunes, begins at 7:30 p.m. along the Kensington’s Maple Beach.
Alexis A. Smith-Scott Joins Bodman PLC
Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that attorney Alexis A. Smith-Scott has joined the firm as an associate in the Detroit office. |
Beaumont study allows participants to monitor COVID-19 immunity over the next two years
Beaumont Health has launched a research study that will allow participants to monitor their immunity to COVID-19 for the next two years.
The study, COVID-19 Vaccination Elicited Response or “COVER,” is designed to better understand how a person develops vaccine-induced COVID-19 antibodies and how long they last. Researchers are particularly interested in the immune response in people who are immune-compromised, like transplant patients or those who take immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune conditions.
“The more people know about their vaccine response, the better they’re able to protect themselves from COVID-19,” said the study’s principal investigator and immunologist, Gabriel Maine, Ph.D., at Beaumont Health. “We’re particularly interested in people who are immune-compromised because they are some of the most vulnerable when it comes to the potentially devastating effects of COVID-19.”
Compensation for time and travel is available. The study is open to the first 1,000 people ages 18 or older to apply: 500 who are immune-compromised and 500 people who are not immune-compromised and just wish to monitor their antibody levels. Participants are required to be within 30 days of receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or plan to receive the vaccine within seven days of enrolling in the study. Vaccines can be administered at any location (Beaumont, CVS, Walgreens, Meijer, etc.).
The study entails seven or eight visits by participants to a Beaumont location in Royal Oak or Troy. Through a series of blood draws approximately every 3 months during the first year, and at 18 and 24 months in the second year, participants will have the opportunity to follow their antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination. All antibody test results will be directly shared with each study participant through their myBeaumontChart account.
“Participants will be able understand how their immune system responded to vaccination, and how long those antibodies are sustained over a 2-year follow-up period,” said Dr. Maine. “This study will help further understand the short and long-term benefits of COVID-19 vaccination, along with any potential limitations. We just need people to take that first step and volunteer.”
For more information or to volunteer, please visit the COVID-19 Vaccination Elicited Response Study All study participants will need to have a myBeaumontChart account in order to join the study and access test results. To sign up for a MyChart account, please visit https://mybeaumontchart.com/mychart/signup.
Offshore Wind Could Provide Double the Electricity Michigan Residents Used in 2019
LANSING (Capital News Service) — Coastal wind is a strong, consistent power source and Michigan’s more than 3,000 miles of coast could provide double the electricity residents used from all sources in 2019.
That’s according to a recent report using data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that evaluated the energy potential of offshore winds across the United States. The report was produced by Environment America and Frontier Group organizations that provide information on and work to improve the environment.
The wind off the shores of the Great Lakes could provide electricity for Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin, the report said. New York was excluded from the Great Lakes region because its offshore energy potential comes from the Atlantic Ocean.
Of these states, Michigan has the most potential.
Offshore wind could generate three-quarters of the state’s predicted electricity use for 2050 with full electrification, according to the report.
Full electrification means switching the state to electric power entirely — from buildings to transportation to industry, said report co-author Hannah Reed.
The next-closest Great Lakes state in 2050 coastal power generation potential is Wisconsin at 27%, according to the report.
This potential is technical potential, which means it’s the total energy generation possible from wind in that area. That doesn’t mean all that energy would necessarily be harvested, said Reed who is Environment America’s Go Big on Offshore Wind program associate.
“We say technical potential specifically because it’s just that — it’s potential,” she said. “We’re not necessarily saying that we should develop all this offshore wind. We’re just saying this is what is there, and this is what we could be using.
“We also recognize that with technology improving and becoming even more efficient and powerful, the technical potential could increase in future years.”
Turbines that look like giant, three-pronged windmills that can stand on the lakebed or be floating and anchored to it would generate the power.
The benefit of offshore wind is that it’s strong and consistent, making it a reliable option that can generate more power than wind over land, the report said.
And there’s the benefit that it’s renewable energy.
“Instead of relying on dirty fossil fuels, you’re transitioning to use clean renewable energy that can power a much cleaner and healthier future for everybody,” Reed said.
But there are hurdles. Depending on the lake, there can be limited usable areas, winter ice floes that could damage floating turbines and conflicting uses, she said.
Beyond technological barriers, two of the largest barriers are community and political acceptance of offshore wind projects because the Great Lakes are important to us, said Dan Scripps, the chair of the Public Service Commission.
It’s important to discuss offshore wind development before projects are proposed because current laws for wind project permits might be insufficient, and offshore wind farms won’t be a good fit everywhere, Scripps said.
“There’s no silver bullet. There’s no perfect answer. It’s sort of balancing the tradeoffs that you see,” Scripps said.
“But I also think that if we’re thoughtful and are willing to have conversations around what are the right spots and what are the wrong spots for ecological or other reasons, in advance we can build a strategy, whether that’s Michigan or across the Great Lakes, that identifies places that might be more suitable,” he said.
Having a plan in place will provide a clearer path forward that builds on supporters of offshore wind, Scripps said.
But those struggles don’t mean offshore wind farms in the region are impossible.
The report said the Icebreaker Wind project in Ohio, set to be completed in 2023, is the only offshore wind project in the Great Lakes region. That partnership between the Lake Erie Energy Development Corp. and Fred. Olsen Renewables will place a wind farm in Lake Erie 8 miles north of Cleveland, according to the corporation.
Dave Karpinski, the president of the Lake Erie Energy Development Corp., said the company won’t build more wind farms because its icebreaker project is meant to pave the way for others.
“Our vision is that, if this first project can develop, then that will open the door to a competitive market to really come in and let the competitive forces drive down costs and come up with the best solution,” Karpinski said.
Report coauthor Reed said, “We know that offshore wind in the Great Lakes is poised to take off, it’s just a matter of states making those commitments and being confident enough in the potential.”
Taylor Haelterman reports for Great Lakes Echo.
Business Owners Scrambling For New Hires, Looking For Ways to Keep Current Workers Happy
After 43 years in the food business, Mike Connors is back to bussing tables. And not by choice.
Staffing shortages have forced the veteran Traverse City restauranteur from behind the owner’s desk and onto the dining floor of the West End Tavern he owns and operates with his wife, Sheila.
“We were down to the bare bones for a while there,” said Connors. “I’ve owned a lot of restaurants, and this is the most desperate situation I can recall.”
With an unprecedented number of positions to fill, business owners are scrambling for new hires and looking for ways to appease workers who already are on the payroll, from higher pay to more lenient time off.
In April, job openings nationwide reached a high of 9.3 million, the highest recorded since the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics began keeping track in December 2000. In the same month, 4 million workers, or 2.7 percent of the workforce, quit their jobs, another record.
Market observers say some short-term factors contributing to employee scarcity are expected to ease by this fall, but that COVID-related disruptions likely have exacerbated long-term shifts in work-life balance to which employers will have to adapt.
“It’s a labor market like we’ve never seen before,” said Beth Kelly, founder and CEO of HR Collaborative, a recruiting and human resources consulting firm in Grand Rapids. “There’s barely a company that doesn’t have a ‘Help Wanted’ sign out there.”
Workforce participation by individuals aged 16 and up dipped to 60.2 percent in April 2020, the lowest since the early 1970s, according to economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Since then, it has rebounded slightly to 61.6 percent as of May.
“But for various reasons, some people are choosing not to return to the workforce,” said Kelly. Many executives point to the $300-per-week federal top-up of unemployment benefits, which expires in September, as disincentive to work.
“If you’re in a $15-an-hour job, until September 6 you’ll make $24 a week more by being on unemployment,” Kelly calculated. “That’s a short-term issue. The other issue is that we shut down a lot of the infrastructure that allows women to work, like schools and day care.”
Should schools reopen and vaccination rates pick up, the impact of those factors may wane.
“We’ve all managed to survive 16 months and it’s a beautiful summer, so people are saying ‘why not enjoy it?’” Kelly said. “I truly believe this will adjust itself in fall.”
But generational shifts in the relationship between employee and employer may remain, prompting business owners and CEOs to re-evaluate management approaches to the workforce.
Poachers in the parking lot
For now, retailers and hospitality businesses – whose associates were among the first layoff casualties in 2020 — appear to be suffering the most.
Cedar Fair, the operator of landmark theme parks nationwide, including Sandusky, Ohio’s 150-year-old Cedar Point, had to temporarily curb hours at its parks just as its crucial summer season began, because of worker shortages.
“While we’ve had to deal with tight labor markets in the past, this is by far the most challenging labor environment I’ve seen in my more than 30 years in this business,” said Cedar Fair CEO Robert Zimmerman during a May earnings call with investors.
Later in May, Cedar Point announced on Facebook that it was boosting pay for all positions to $20 an hour – what it called a 100-percent increase over 2020 – and offering $500 signing bonuses and free friends-and-family passes to associates.
Elsewhere, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.-based Dollywood Parks began offering childcare subsidies to its workers. The Six Flags amusement park chain is offering retention bonuses and, according to the Albany Times-Union, has dropped longtime grooming requirements that prohibited its staff from displaying tattoos, piercings and certain hair styles.
Connors of Traverse City said he had to shut down lunchtime service due to lack of dining room staff, and for a time — unable to muster the roughly 30 servers, bartenders, dishwashers and cooks needed for an evening dinner service — opened only five nights a week.
He’s boosted wages by about a dollar an hour for most staff and is back to opening at 3 p.m. seven days a week – often with the boss doing prep work in the kitchen or clearing tables of used plates and glasses.
Customers have been understanding about the resulting price hikes on menu items – a popular halibut entrée with rice pilaf has gone up about $1.50, for example — but Connors said each day is fraught with worry about no-shows and other glitches.
“There’s a finite pool of qualified restaurant workers in the region,” said Connors. “We’re all basically playing musical chairs with the cooks and bartenders and wait staff who already are in the area. I’ve had people in my parking lot trying to solicit our servers to work at other restaurants.”
Service providers like landscape companies also admit to shortages, with some boosting wages and offering bonuses – but were reluctant to speak out for fear of turning off potential customers.
Manufacturers are suffering, too.
LCI Industries of Elkhart, Indiana – which bills itself as the largest parts supplier to the recreational vehicle industry – is losing workers to more lucrative jobs.
“The RV makers have the highest wages in our region – as high as $50 an hour,” LCI CEO Jason Lippert told the Reuters news service. “So, generally, workers will look to jump from $20-an-hour jobs if they are not happy where they are at.”
In Elkhart County, some 1,000 manufacturing firms range from small suppliers to Fortune 100 companies like auto suppliers Tenneco and iconic recreational vehicle makers Thor and Forest River.
“We import 35,000 workers into this county every day, and we’re seeing the footprint from which they are drawn widen out a lot,” said Chris Stager, CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County.
Wooing workers
Pandemic-driven demand for RVs and travel trailers, which is driving a robust increase in sales, has exacerbated the labor issue. Stager, however, takes the longer view.
“What we’re seeing is that the bulk of those who haven’t returned to work are those who have chosen to retire,” he said. “It’s a surprise that it’s hit with the force it has, but this was not entirely unexpected.
“Competition for labor has forced all businesses to be mindful of what it takes to retain employees – from pay and benefits to amenities and work rules,” he said. “In many cases it comes down to the company culture.”
Connors concurred, noting that he’s had to accommodate workers who want more time off or other work-life concessions, a sharp turnaround from the days when eager employees were angling for increased hours.
Stager said that Elkhart County officials and employers looking at opportunities for public/private affordable housing initiatives, and other means to attract workers to the region.
Kelly agrees that the employer-employee relationship is evolving rapidly.
“There is a mind shift in the way we think about employees,” she said. “They are an asset that appreciates over time. We need to treat them as we treat customers.”
Talk with your workers and seek their input, she advises.
“We’re building this plane as it’s flying,” Kelly said. “There are bound to be fits and starts.”
Jaffe Attorney Emily Mayer Named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Up & Coming Lawyers Class
Emily Mayer, partner in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Insurance and Appellate practice groups at Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C. has been named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Up & Coming Lawyers class of 2021. Emily began at the firm as a summer associate in 2013.
EAFocus Communications expands team to welcome second generation with millennial perspective
Barbara Fornasiero, Principal and Founder of EAFocus Communications, is pleased to announce Lucie Fornasiero has joined the firm as a director. Lucie brings an expanded skillset that will allow the firm to handle a variety of new communications areas, including grant writing and project management.
Merrill advisors named to Forbes’ 2021 “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors” list
Three Metro Detroit-based Merrill wealth management advisors — Marie Vanerian, Nicole Christians, and Melissa Spickler — have been named to Forbes’ 2021 “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors” list. All three were ranked in the top five of the Michigan financial advisors on the list.
Sherri Saad of RE/MAX Leading Edge Honored as Broker/Owner of the Year
Sherri Saad, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Leading Edge, received the prestigious Broker/Owner of the Year Award for a multi-office location at the RE/MAX of Southeastern Michigan Awards Recognition Event. Saad was also honored as the No. 1 RE/MAX owner in southeastern Michigan based on 2020 transactions.
Jordan Ingram Appointed to Investment Committee of The Community House Foundation
Jordan Ingram, Vice President and Banker at the office of J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Birmingham, has been appointed to the Investment Committee of The Community House Foundation Board of Directors.
Wells Fargo Artist-in-Residence Joins Efforts to Support Diverse- and Women-Owned Businesses
SAN FRANCISCO (BUSINESS WIRE)– Wells Fargo is expanding its existing efforts to support diverse- and women-owned small businesses by welcoming graphic designer and illustrator Sophia Yeshi as the bank’s first-ever artist-in-residence.
For her first project as the Wells Fargo Artist in Residence, Yeshi reimagined the “Open” sign as a bold statement to symbolize the perseverance of millions of small business owners through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic – as well as the long road ahead to full recovery. The new “Open” sign is available for download at wellsfargo.com/together and later this summer, small business owners can pick up a sign at any Wells Fargo branch while supplies last.
The Artist-in-Residence initiative is part of Wells Fargo’s commitment to offer small business owners access and assistance to tools, guidance and resources – including financial grants and loans available from nonprofits via the Open for Business Fund. The fund is a roughly $420 million small business recovery effort for those hardest hit by the pandemic. A list of Open for Business Fund grant recipients is available here to help business owners connect to CDFIs and non-profits so they can explore new avenues to capital and support.
“I’m honored to continue working with Wells Fargo in their pursuit of sharing the stories of resilient small business owners, and making critical resources available to all small businesses as they recover from the pandemic,” said Yeshi. “It was very rewarding to shine a light on the stories of individual diverse small businesses as part of my recent collaboration with the bank. With the new “Open” sign I created for my first project as Artist in Residence, I’m excited to celebrate the passion and dedication of all small business owners as they begin a new chapter.”
The Artist-in-Residence initiative follows the bank’s recent collaboration with three artists including Yeshi, Deborah Lee and Gabriela Alemán – who created custom “Open” signs bringing to life the unique stories of diverse- and women-owned small businesses. These business owners, from traditionally marginalized and historically underrepresented communities, were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and their stories are part of the inspiration behind Yeshi’s new “Open” sign.
Yeshi is Wells Fargo’s first artist-in-residence, and her residency runs through December 2021. In addition to the creation of the new “Open” sign, Wells Fargo will tap into Yeshi’s unique style to influence the look and feel of internal campaigns and design assignments. Yeshi will also provide Wells Fargo small business customers with branding consultations as they reimagine their businesses in the months ahead. The Artist-in-Residence program is part of the company’s “We made a way. Together.” campaign, focused on helping entrepreneurs connect to resources and learn from peers about new ways to evolve their businesses.
AT&T to Support 988 Hotline to Help Combat Mental Health Crisis in America
AT&T is supporting the three-digit emergency hotline code, 988, for suicide prevention and mental health crisis services.
Voice calls to 988 will be directed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) to help individuals in crisis.
The United States is experiencing a crisis, AT&T officials said, and the company wants “to be a part of the solution.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably in the United States during April–June of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019.
In response to these trends, in 2020 the Federal Communications Commission and Congress designated 988 as an easy-to-remember code for Americans to reach the Lifeline. The availability of 988, its ease of use and recollection, and the education associated with its adoption will help countless at-risk Americans to get the help they urgently need, AT&T said.
The 988 line is “a priority for AT&T and we esteem the 24/7 confidential support and crisis resources that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Lifeline and the US Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Crisis Line provide,” the company said in a release.
Some 99% of AT&T’s wireless customers can dial 988 right now. AT&T customers on a wireline will be able to dial 988 by the July 2022 national implementation date, after which all 988 voice calls will reach Lifeline crisis counselors and beyond for specialized services.
Implementation of 988 functionality in communications networks nationwide highlights the critical nature of technology in the Lifeline’s success and the value that technology can create in enhancing behavioral health. Now and after the nationwide adoption of 988, Americans can also continue to use the Lifeline’s toll-free number, 800-273-TALK (8255), to reach 24/7 help. You can also visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org for more information and resources.
To learn more about the 24/7 mental health emergency Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line, click here and here.
International Space Station Astronauts Install 2 Advanced Solar Arrays Provided by Boeing
HOUSTON – Two new, advanced solar arrays provided by Boeing [NYSE: BA] have increased the International Space Station (ISS) power supply after European astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough installed them during three spacewalks on June 16, 20 and 25.
The new arrays contain stronger solar cells that are also more efficient than their predecessors. Measuring 61 feet long and 20 feet wide, they generate twice the power in half the space of the original arrays that they partially cover.
Boeing provided the new arrays to NASA, with solar cells from Spectrolab and a structure from Redwire that allowed the arrays to be rolled tight for launch and unroll with their own energy instead of requiring a motor.
Boeing developed the arrays to fold small enough to be packed on a space-rated pallet that fit inside the trunk of the SpaceX Cargo Dragon that carried the arrays to the ISS. Once on orbit, the folded arrays were removed by the ISS’ robotic arm and positioned so the spacewalkers could take them out to the far end of the ISS truss for installation.
Four more arrays will be launched to ISS and installed over the next two years, providing a 20% to 30% increase in power that will support more scientific experiments, technology research and commercial pursuits in low Earth orbit.
Survey: Only One Quarter Of Nursing Homes Confident They’ll Make It Through to Next Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes, assisted living communities, and other long term care facilities across the country, announced the release of a recent survey of providers across the U.S. Results from the survey showcase the urgent need to address the economic crisis facing the profession.
Key findings include:
- Only a quarter of nursing homes and assisted living communities are confident they can last a year or more.
- More than half of nursing homes and nearly half of assisted living communities say their organization is operating at a loss.
- Nearly half of nursing homes and assisted living communities have had to make cuts in 2021 due to increased expenses or lost revenue.
- The top three costs facilities have incurred due to COVID-19, regardless of whether they have had cases or not, are additional pay for staff, hiring additional staff, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
- In 2021, 84 percent of nursing homes said they are losing revenue due to fewer post-acute patients coming from the hospital.
- Ninety-two percent of nursing homes and 62 percent of assisted living facilities said the Provider Relief Fund has been helpful during COVID.
- More than half of nursing homes and more than one-third of assisted living communities say that Medicaid fee-for-service is problematic in covering the actual cost to provide care to residents. Of those, more than one-quarter of both providers qualify it is a serious problem.
“Even though COVID cases in long term care are at historic lows, providers are struggling to recover from the economic crisis the pandemic has induced. Too many facilities are operating under shoestring budgets simply because policymakers have failed to dedicate the proper resources, and this can have devastating consequences,” said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL.
An analysis by AHCA/NCAL earlier this year estimated that the nursing home industry is expected to lose $94 billion over the course of the pandemic, and more than 1,800 facilities could close their doors. Closures are hard on vulnerable residents who are forced to move, their family members who must often travel farther to see their loved ones, and dedicated caregivers who are out of a job.
“Lawmakers and public officials across the country must prioritize the residents and caregivers in our nursing homes and assisted living communities,” continued Parkinson. “This starts by sending immediate resources through what remains of the Provider Relief Fund, and it continues by finally addressing the chronic underfunding of Medicaid, which only covers 70 to 80 percent of nursing home care. We have laid out key proposals in our Care For Our Seniors Act to transform America’s nursing homes, but without the help from Congress and state legislators, these necessary reforms will not be possible.”
“We look forward to working with federal and state governments to ensure the stability of our care economy, so that every provider has the ability to deliver the highest quality of care. From being able to have an adequate supply of PPE to compensating caregivers for their heroic work, long term care facilities need financial assistance from lawmakers to keep serving our vulnerable residents,” concluded Parkinson.
SBA Awards $258,000 to Launch a Veterans Business Outreach Center
WASHINGTON (Globe Newswire) — The U.S. Small Business Administration awarded over $258,000 in funding to Humboldt State University to provide training and counseling as a Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) serving veteran small business owners in Northern California (to include all counties north of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties).
The funding opportunity, offered by SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development, has an initial project period of 10 months with up to four additional one-year option periods, subject to the availability of funds. The initial project period is effective on July 1, 2021 and ends on April 30, 2022.
“Veterans Business Outreach Centers create a vital support system for military and veteran entrepreneurs nationwide, which is a key part of the SBA’s mission. It is an honor to welcome Humboldt State University into the VBOC network,” said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development. “We look forward to working together to empower veteran-owned small businesses in Northern California and provide much-needed resources for our nation’s heroes to succeed after their military career.
”VBOCs are the SBA’s one-stop shop for providing training to service members, veterans and military spouses. The centers play a critical role in planning and executing the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program, which is part of the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program. VBOCs also provide counseling, technical and financial skill development, comprehensive business assessments, and mentoring services to veterans, transitioning and active-duty service members, Reserve, National Guard, and military spouses interested in small business ownership.
Located in Arcata, California, Humboldt State University is part of the 23-campus California State University System and was recently ranked as a military-friendly school by G.I. Jobs Magazine. The University is home to the HSU Veterans Enrollment and Transition Services, which provides academic and career support to the school’s military and veteran community. As a VBOC, the University will provide training, counseling, and resource partner referrals to transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and spouses on campus and across the region.
To learn more about the VBOC program and to find your local center visit www.sba.gov/vboc. For more information on the SBA’s programs for veterans, visit www.sba.gov/veterans.
Building on EV Strategy, GM Calls for ‘Equitable Climate Action,’ Launches Fund Aimed at Advancing Climate Equity
ASPEN, Colo. – During an appearance in Aspen earlier this week, GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra expanded on GM’s previous climate commitments, declaring the company would prioritize equitable climate action to help ensure its all-electric future is inclusive for its current and future workforce; customers; and communities that may be more likely to disproportionately experience the effects of climate change.
The company also announced the creation of a new $25 million Climate Equity Fund, dedicated to helping close equity gaps in the transition to electric vehicles and other sustainable technology. The philanthropic fund complements the company’s $35 billion global investment in EV and AV programs, research, technology, manufacturing and charging infrastructure.
“Climate change does not impact every community equally. As we move to an all-electric, zero-emissions future, it is on us to lead positive change and implement inclusive solutions that bring everyone along, especially our employees and communities,” Barra said during the Aspen Ideas Festival.
Barra also shared more about the company’s broader focus on equitable climate action, which is rooted in four key areas:
- The Future of Work: The company reinforced the prioritization of its current salaried and represented workforce, including reiterating its long history of supporting unions to promote safety, quality, training and jobs for American workers. GM also publicly reiterated its support for the UAW’s efforts to organize employees at the Ohio and Tennessee Ultium Cells LLC battery cell manufacturing plants.
- EV Access: The company will offer a wide selection of EVs across a range of price points, from the Bolt EV to the Cruise Origin shared autonomous vehicle. GM also recently announced programs leveraging its HYDROTEC fuel cells for rail and aircraft applications, which could help pave the way for communities to experience the benefits of zero-emissions mobility beyond the motor vehicle.
- Infrastructure Equity: GM is committed to ubiquitous charging solutions that can help meet customers where they are. The company also understands the need to help address charging deserts and other scenarios that can hinder EV ownership.
- Climate Equity: GM will help fund organizations that are closing the climate equity gap at the community level and across four key areas: the future of work, EV access, EV infrastructure equity and climate equity.
As the company works to address the key priorities under its equitable climate action framework, it will be guided by five principles:
1. Make mobility safer, more accessible and more environmentally friendly for all.
2. Incorporate and normalize equity considerations across our business operations and program implementation efforts, including workforce strategy, sustainability efforts, and products and services.
3. Work with community-based stakeholders to identify their unique needs, assets and priorities as well as collaboratively assist impacted communities.
4. Advocate for inclusive and equitable climate change, renewable energy and transportation-related policies at the federal, state and local levels to help ensure a sustainable mobility future for all.
5. Help fund the organizations that are providing equitable access to a more sustainable future.
Climate Equity Fund
The company is now accepting proposals for funding from its new Climate Equity Fund. Potential grantees are encouraged to submit proposals aligned to GM’s four climate equity social outcomes: future of work, EV access, EV infrastructure equity and climate equity. The company will prioritize grassroots organizations working at the community level.
Altimetrik Names Panicker and Terachi as Digital Growth Leaders
DETROIT (Business Wire) — Altimetrik, a leading digital business enablement company, announced the appointments of Baiju Panicker and Taka Terachi as Digital Growth Leaders for Banking and Products, respectively.
Panicker will focus on developing new client relationships and expanding the company’s growing portfolio of bank clients. Terachi will develop new client relationships by helping Altimetrik’s customers conceive of and launch innovative products and services. Both will report to Altimetrik’s Chief Executive Officer, Raj Sundaresan.
“Baiju and Taka are accomplished senior leaders who will fill key roles that will help us further grow revenue in key industries,” Sundaresan said. “Their collective experience of over 50 years demonstrates a track record of innovation and results in their respective areas.”
Altimetrik has grown consistently over the past few years, fueled by strong global demand for digital business enablement. COVID-19 has accelerated this pace as companies of all sizes respond to customers’ increasing appetite for digital products and services. To meet the demand, Altimetrik created these key management positions to partner with clients across a variety of industries.
Panicker is a progressive, transformation-focused technology leader with over 27 years of extensive experience in managing large-scale banking technology groups and spearheading banking technology modernization programs, including business applications, cloud migrations, and process automation.
“Joining Altimetrik represents a major career milestone and an attractive opportunity to support enterprises’ accelerated digital business initiatives,” Panicker said. “The Altimetrik approach is perfectly suited to organizations’ strategies geared towards new digital products that are expanding current, and introducing new revenue streams.”
Most recently, Panicker was Chief Technology Officer at Comerica with end-to-end accountability for enterprise technology strategy, infrastructure, architecture, engineering, and governance functions. Before joining Comerica, Panicker served as Business Information Officer for Retail Banking at PNC.
Terachi is a dynamic, transformation-focused leader with over 27 years of combined experience building impactful products and leading high performing teams within the Fintech space. He has extensive experience in managing large scale enterprise level efforts and has spearheaded many key initiatives.
“Expectations are high at Altimetrik for Fintech because of the company’s track record of innovation in the space, and there is so much opportunity developing in the market,” Terachi said. “The recent acceleration of e-commerce and digital business means it’s more vital than ever for Altimetrik to help our clients understand what they’re solving for and how they can enable digital business that is transformational.”
Most recently, Terachi was the Head of PMO and Business Operations at Visa and was responsible for overseeing an annual technology budget of $151 million across 19 strategic initiatives. Prior to Visa, Terachi held key product leadership roles in the Business Unit and Technology Organization at PayPal and was based in the U.S., Singapore, and India (Chennai). His past experiences also include various leadership positions at Wells Fargo and Charles Schwab. Terashi holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
“The largest companies in the world are seeing value in our unique, bite-sized approach to accelerate digital transformation and help them realize growth in revenue, profit, cash, and market share,” Sundaresan said. “Baiju and Taka’s expertise will prove valuable as we continue to help our clients in their digital enablement efforts.”
Duperon Corporation Announces New Marketing Manager
SAGINAW — In support of its continuing innovation to bring new products and solutions to the water and wastewater market, Duperon Corporation today announces the addition of Cynthia Camburn as Marketing Manager for the company.
“Our Team welcomes Cynthia as Marketing Manager to help us position, communicate, and grow our expanding portfolio of new products and solutions. Her marketing expertise, values, and demonstrated leadership ability make a great addition to our company,” said Mark Turpin, President. “As Duperon builds on a rich history of innovative product development and excellent customer service, we are launching new marketing programs and tools to support that ongoing momentum. Cynthia is an essential part of this sustained effort.”
Cynthia brings 20 years of experience as creative director and marketing professional with a demonstrated history of creating successful marketing strategies for companies in a variety of industries. She is an alumnus of the University of Michigan, where she earned two Bachelor of Art degrees focused in English and Communications. In addition to her professional qualifications, Cynthia is a lifelong advocate of children and adults with disabilities.
“I am delighted to join the Duperon team during this exciting time of growth and I look forward to using my skills and experience to make a meaningful contribution to this vital organization and the communities it serves,” Camburn said.
Dwelling Place Board Announces DeRoo as New CEO, Celebrates the Service of Outgoing Leader
GRAND RAPIDS –– Community development corporation and nonprofit housing developer Dwelling Place has selected Jeremy DeRoo as its next chief executive officer. DeRoo will succeed Dennis Sturtevant, who is retiring at the end of July after nearly 33 years leading the organization.
As CEO, DeRoo will continue to lead the work of being a force for change in meeting a wide array of affordable housing and support services needs. As a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization, while using a racial equity framework, he brings a honed skillset to Dwelling Place after serving as executive director at LINC Up for nearly 13 years.
“We are confident in Jeremy’s ability to articulate vision and know he will be an outstanding CEO whose passion for improving the life chances for historically marginalized communities will fit nicely at Dwelling Place,” said Dwelling Place board president Juan Daniel Castro. “The board is excited to work with Jeremy as our new CEO and believe that he is well positioned as a local leader and influencer. His track record in real estate and community development, affordable housing, authentic community engagement, racial equity and all facets of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is solid and we believe that Dwelling Place will be well positioned under his guidance to thrive in the years to come.
“We also want to thank Denny for his nearly 33 years of servant leadership,” Castro added. “We are who we are as an organization because of the visionary leadership of Denny.”
As executive director, DeRoo has led LINC Up in revitalizing neighborhoods through authentic engagement, stimulating economic development, expanding housing opportunities, creating affordable housing, and developing leadership and capacity in residents and grass-root organizations.
During his time at LINC Up, Jeremy has helped secure over $100 million in funding for community improvement efforts resulting in over 15,000 households participating in community meetings, improving over 750 homes, training over 7,000 resident leaders and creating over 200 full time jobs.
DeRoo said he was appreciative of the board’s confidence in him.
“My passion and purpose align with my personal commitment to engage in the work of community and systems change here in our community,” DeRoo said. “Dwelling Place is resilient and is a national model in community development. Here in Kent County, we are experiencing a housing shortage of epic proportion. The city of Grand Rapids will need more than 5,000 additional rental units and nearly 4,000 more owner-occupied units by 2025 to satisfy demand. I believe with the experienced and talented staff at Dwelling Place, we will continue to move forward and provide the stellar services and programs our neighbors and community deserve, including the addressing of the housing shortage.”
As CEO, DeRoo will work closely with staff and the Dwelling Place board to ensure the organization can continue to adapt to serve neighbors and the community through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The Board has been committed from the start that not only is it important to find the right person, but properly onboard their new CEO.
There will be overlap between the outgoing and incoming CEO during the transition, as Sturtevant has agreed to serve as a resource for DeRoo going forward. Another valuable resource in this transition is the tenured and experienced senior staff of nine direct reports to the CEO who have a combined 172 years of service to Dwelling Place.
“It has been an absolute honor and privilege to be a part of an organization that has worked to fulfill the hopes and dreams of many people in our community, including my own,” said Sturtevant. “I was able to gain knowledge and understanding by listening to the Indigenous wisdom of those we served. Every community we’ve worked in, I’ve been blessed to see the impact this organization and our outstanding staff has had on individuals and on families, as well as our work to change systems and structures that have been problematic for historically marginalized populations. Hearing the stories of people we’ve served, and being part of their life change has kept me going for these nearly 33 years. We’ve created an amazing base for continued growth for the organization and I believe Jeremy and our remarkable staff will do phenomenal work and keep Dwelling Place headed in the right direction.”